How to Survive a Crappy Life
by MegHidd
Summary: Roxton is on vacation at Krawk Island. He sees an old friend,Scrap, and when they get to talking, he realizes he knows nothing about this kid. What will he do when he does find out? Will the truth be to much?


A smile can hide many things; it's why I've learned to look them in the eye. When you look at somebody eyes, it's different. You see a much more elaborate picture, and yet, it still stows away many unlocked secrets. It doesn't matter if they are young, or old, or selfish, or polite, all eyes tell you a story. All neopets have a story. I have my own tales of Roxton Colchester III adventures, but I'm not who this story is about. No, it's my friend. He was just a young boy shying away from the world as best he could. He was funny at times, alert, and considerate. He had been through a lot, and behind his goofy grin, you would have never known. It was the day I got a good look at his blue pupils that I saw what was really there…

I had just finished saving the world again,(If you didn't read the story, you really should), but now, I was off on a another solo-vacation for some relax time. With some neopoints I bought an apple, and happily ate it as I walked across the Warf Wharf, hub of Krawk Island. I saw pirates gambling over to my left, and to my right, some meerca's and hissi's selling what looked like fake dubloons. I shook my head and laughed. Who would give in to such a scam? And yet, a whole line of yurbles were eagerly waiting to buy. I walked farther along, only to see shops and stalls of food, negg juice, and one selling ship supplies. I took a glance, but only for a second, mainly just because. But I had to stop. Was that who I thought it was? I turned back again and took a bite of my apple. It sure was him. A friend of mine, one I haven't seen in close to a year, was buying rope at the ship supply store. I saw him hand over some neopoints, count the change, and put the rope into a crate he was carrying around with him. He then headed to a stand that was selling fish and berries. I took the last bite and threw it into the trashcan nearby. I walked beside the young kid and asked for a cubefish.

"Coming right up!" the lenny told me.

"Colchester?" my friend asked. I pretended like I hadn't seen him, and if he was dumb enough, he would have believed it too. But he wasn't, naw, this chap was smart.

"Scrap? I didn't see you there!"

"Sure, and you weren't just eating an apple over there either," he grinned. I couldn't help but crack a smirk. "So how's life, stalker?"

"It's been good,"

"Have fun saving the world with your little wocky friend?" he mocked. "If Lillian only knew…tisk, tisk,"

"Hey, I honestly didn't think I would ever see her again," I defended myself. The old lenny handed me my cubefish, and Scrap gathered two butterfish and eight blandfish. We both paid the good man and walked down the buzzing street.

"Doesn't that get heavy?" I asked.

"Eh, you learn to live with it. We are heading to Altador in the morning so we need to pack tight and well," he explained. I nodded. "A family is moving their, they aren't very rich, but the captain took pity on them and are taking them for a cheap price. I almost fell over I was so shocked," he laughed. We started walking and I realized I still had a fish in my hand. I only bought it as an excuse to be over there. Well, I have dinner now I thought to myself.

"So you and the captain are doing good I take it,"

"Yes sir, Mr. Colchester. A month after you left, we went to Brightvale. That was interesting, and I don't think I've read so many books in one day. Then three months ago we joined Captain Tuan and the Cyodrake's Gaze to go to Lutari Island. I'm imagined you've been-"

"Been there? Boy, I was born there! It sparked my love of adventure, that place. Someday soon, I plan to go back, see my folks again," Scrap's head dropped then, and he slowed his pace. But he smiled for me and said that sounded nice. We stopped again at the beach and sat. He must have been done shopping, because he eased his wieght on the sand and gazed out. I sat next to the lad.

"It sounds like you've been having a lot of fun," I commended.

"Oh yes sir, this is the life for me," he beamed. I looked at what he had in his basket he was carrying; some rope, a blanket, lots of fish, two loafs of bread…and what was that?

"Hello, what is this?" I smirked grabbing the neocola out of the wooden crate.

"Hey mister, give that back!" he reached out to get it. "It's mine!"

"Using the old captain's money on cola, why I ought to-"

"I didn't use his neopoints!" he grumbled and snatched the can back. He buried it under the blanket. I also caught a glimpse of a grey book. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me.

"Did you use your neopoints?" I questioned. He softened his position, crossed his legs, and put his elbows on his legs, leaning forwards on his fists. He didn't answer for a while, and suddenly it wasn't funny anymore. I almost apologized, but then I realized that I was the older one, and shouldn't have to. I was more curious now as to where the money came from to buy that and the book.

"No…I stole them," he mumbled looking down towards the sand. I didn't draw back, or gasp, or was shocked at all. I almost wanted to give him a pat on the back, but that would make me a bad role model. And the kid couldn't have been more than fifteen or so. I was doing worse things younger than him. But then I thought about something else. If he stole the money for that, what else had he stolen?

"Was that your first time…pilfering someone?" That he smiled to, and it took me by surprise.

"To be completely honest, no sir. It wasn't. Just the biggest," he explained. "I only stole a bag full of them from the guy, but when I opened it, in front of me was twenty-five thousand neopoints! It was unbelievable!"

"Twenty-five thousand?" I gasped. That was a good heist! I thought. I shook my head.

"I tried to find him, looked for an hour at least, but I couldn't. Then I thought about the captain. The ship is in need of repairs, and each time we go to sea, one of us seems to get sick. Captain Rourke got Neomonia during the Brightvale trip, and I and another fellow both got ourselves some nasty cases of Neo Flu. Lucky Anshu had some Neoflu Jelly Pills. But, I think that rich Bori can spare a few because…I mean…it's for a good cause, I swear! That was all I was planning for myself! I had never had a neocola and the book was on sailing, which I need!-" he started to panic.

"Scrap!" I interrupted. He was panting and looked scared. He grabbed his hat on his head on revealed his shaggy red top. He twirled the cap in his heads and placed it back. "At least you tried to find him, you knew what you did was wrong. And you promise that was all you were going to spend on yourself?"

"Swear!" he assured me. I patted him on the back.

"Then why are you worried?" I shrugged. He took his hat in his hands again and played with it. He even dropped it a few times and dusted the sand off. I knew there was something he wasn't telling me, but I could figure out what.

"They always told me I would be a lousy, good-for-nothing, piece of-"

"Scrap…" I finished. I suddenly got why that was his name. He was always called that, always answered to Scrap. Or trash, something degrading and belittling. I also got why it meant something to him. I understood that more than most people would assume. If you get called that your whole life, suddenly its means more when you DO become it. It has a much greater effect. Who had told him he was Scrap? School bullies, no, it had to be more than that. More than some snotty kids. Parents? Family? Everyone on the street?

"Who did?" I inquired. He sniffed and looked out to the lowering sun. It was a beautiful, bright red and orange. It was a sailor's delight. He still hadn't answered me a few minutes later, I wondered if he had heard the question, or else, just simply ignored it.

"Everyone," he mumbled. Out in the ocean there was a ship, and a flotsam swam happily around. The stripped creature waved to us, and we waved back. I looked at Scrap's face. It was hiding so much, like a puzzle. One Evil Thade could not solve.

"What about your parents, they didn't at least comfort you? Or tried to help?" I begged.

"Parents? They dropped me off at the pound at the age of four. Left me there, never visited, messaged, or even looked back at me," he spat. "That place was a nightmare. It was pure hell. I could care less if that nutty techo when there too," he sighed. "Everyone was grumpy, fed gruel each morning, and longed for the day they would be out of there,"

"When did you run away?" I beseeched. I had to know his story, it all was leading up to something, but what? His face never changed, it was just the same unreadable, blank stare.

"After the sixth family that brought me back," he muttered.

"What, what…you were adopted, and brought back…six times? Crimey Scrap, that's…crazy!"

"Crazy…you want to know what's crazy? I did nothing to them, and yet…they hated me! They hated that I was so silent, or I was painted pirate, or something stupid! There was only place that I understood why, but their son deserved it!" He looked me in the face, his eyes, blazing ice blue, shouted and screamed for mercy, for guidance, for anything. They were pleading for someone to trust, to hold on to. To always be there and never desert him, not even for a second. But no was ever there…had ever been there.

"What…what happ-" I stuttered. I didn't even have the guts to finish. I felt like a tiny kitten listening to him talk. It was so spiteful, so angry. He had a perfectly good right to be though! Six times…six…that sucks!

"When people saw me, they pitied me. The first couple that adopted me were two old usuls that had just lost there son, a solider for Meridell. They took me in, but it was to much for them. I was five, but I still remember understanding, it was just to soon for them. I kept in constant contact with them, and when they were ready…they didn't adopt me. They took the bratty roommate of mine. It wasn't till the day before my seventh birthday someone else came along. And old woman who didn't have all her wits with her, if you know what I mean. She took me to her house with her three others and, the husband told her no. He was the one to take me back the next day, calling me ugly and putrid smelling along with it. On my birthday, isn't that nice of him? You try being returned on your birthday, it made me feel so crappy! Called me scrap before he left. You know what I said? 'Yeah well, same to you buddy!" I was almost nine the next time I was adopted," he paused and put his hat back on. His arms crossed over his knees, and he sat there, wondering who else he would tell this too. Then I question if I was the first one. "It was another usul couple, and they had one kid. I'm pretty sure his name was Garin. The kid was a outright monster. He was selfish, a moron, and I wasn't the only one to say so. His best friend did too. We got him out of trouble sometimes, and he got mad at me one day because I knew something he didn't. He started saying how one day he make sure scarp pieces like me got what they deserved. To be thrown away! He pushed me to the ground and said how I'm scrap. Scrap, scrap, just a filthy piece of trash! I jumped on him and repeatedly punched him in the face. His kyrii friend pulled me off, and I tried to swing at him. But by the time I blinked, that kid had my arm behind my back, pined me to the ground, and was sitting on me telling me to calm down! That stupid usul had me taken away the next day, saying how I started it. The kyrii was at home, he would have stood up for me. He was a great friend, fun to hang out with, and smart. The fourth one brought me back because I didn't talk and they wanted an outgoing son. The fifth one, the younger sister lied and said that I hit her. The mother believed me, but the father wore the pants in the house. Spanked me, then took me back at ten a'clock that night. I felt even more crappy. Sixth couple, the best thing they did for me was painted me pirate for my twelfth birthday. They signed up for this six weeks thing, if you like them after that, you adopted then. I was happy, I got along with the other two daughter and their son, Lanier. On the last day they put me alone in the car, and took me back. I didn't know what I did wrong! But they betrayed me, so the same night I ran away and stowed away on a boat to Krawk Island. Stuck to the streets ever since. I couldn't bare...to be hurt again. To be told...you are Scrap. But its an animal instinct, if you are called that, to survive, you be that. I called myself Scrap. Left my name behind," he finished. By the time he had finished it was almost dark. The bustling road had died down a bit, and neopets wondered sleepily into their beds.

'If you don't mind me asking, what was your name?" I wondered. The sound of the waves in the tide covered over the dead silence.

"Samuel. Samuel Travels Donavan,"

"That's a cool name, Sam," he looked at me.

"Sam? No, sir. It's Scrap now. Always will be," I got up from the ground and helped him up as well. When I looked down, I realized that my fish was now sandy. I picked it up and chucked it at the ocean. "What was that for?"

"I determined… I didn't like cubefish. So, Sam,-"

"Scrap," he cut me off short.

"Whatever. Do you mind if I come on your trip?"

"Wouldn't mind at all actually. But you would have to take it up with the captain, sir,"

"I think he would be mighty glad to see me, don't you, Sam?"

"Scr-. Forget it," he got off the ground and picked up his crate.

"So how were you going to explain the money, huh?" We walked to the dock the ship was waiting at.

'I hadn't quiet figured that out yet,sir,"

"Please stop calling me sir,"

"Yes sir-opps," I sighed and tussled his cap on his head.

''How bout this, we call it a donation, from your truly. That lie he has to accept as the truth. I don't see any other explanation. None of us have ever stolen in our lives!" I winked. "And that will certainly get me aboard," I put my arm around the kid's shoulders. I would have to talk to the captain about him. He wasn't a bad kid, just has been though a crappy life.

"I never did ask, how old are you?" I pondered.

"Fifteen, sir," he responded.

"Cool," he could still be legally adopted again. What if the captain took him in. Or me? Would I be ready for a son? Son…Sam my son? I looked at him again. Maybe. Although, I wouldn't make a very good father. But then, that's what a adventure is right? You learn new things, and go places you've never gone before…parenthood…ek…


End file.
